Links For Teaching Shakespeare

It seems all I'm posting these days are links to various websites! Each summer one of my main tasks is preparing for our coming school year. And this time as I am doing so, I'm running across all these great sites that I want to share with others. (Not to mention the fact that if I post the links here, I might actually be able to find them when I need them.) So here I go again!

This coming spring semester we'll be delving into the Reformation and Renaissance. As part of our studies, we'll spend time enjoying some of Shakespeare's plays. I've written before about a few of the things we've found to be helpful in teaching Shakespeare to young children. Once again we'll be keeping our charts of characters and reading aloud selected scenes and abridged plays. We can't wait!

Here are some of the websites that look promising:

Shakespeare for Children – Links to complete scripts, scripts which include original alongside modern translations, and links to the text of Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare and E. Nesbit's Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare. Also includes links to YouTube BBC animated versions of the plays, teaching helps (including an article on "Why Shakespeare for Christian Students?"), printables, and  much more.

Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, by E. Nesbit.

 Nesbit, one of all-time my favorite children's authors, creator of The Railway Children and Five Children and It, among others,  penned Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare in 1907. Now in the public domain, you can access it online. (Though, of course, holding a book in your hands is much more pleasant!)  

Free Shakespeare Audio – MP3 recordings of Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, E. Nesbit's stories for children. Also audio recordings of some of the complete plays and recordings of Charles and Mary Lamb's classic, Tales from Shakespeare.  

Shakespeare for Kids – From the Folger Shakespeare Library, includes fun facts, games, puzzles, etc.

Shakespeare Quotes and Scripts –  Also from the Folger Shakespeare Library, this includes short scripts for children of single acts from several plays. Pre-read before giving to your children. Most require 3-6 actors or so.